How to Increase Instagram Engagement

Instagram is every business owner’s current go-to platform. Marketing on Instagram allows brands to make a lasting impression on their customers. There is no denying that growing a large following on any social media platform can be tedious and strenuous. One of the core social media marketing principles is engagement.

Fundamentally, engagement indicates the active interaction between you and your followers. Engagement is more than just the likes and comments; it is the way you respond to these interactions and use it to build an authentic, engaged audience.

This may seem like a challenging task, but there is no need to panic. We have rounded up five strategies to help increase your Instagram engagement.

Do not use bots.

We understand that Instagram is a competitive place. You need to generate a ton of likes and comments as quickly as you can, if you want to be featured on the Explore page or the Top Post of a hashtag. Many have turned to Instagram bots to artificially boost engagement on their posts. These bots may seem like a useful tool, but did you know they can cause your account to be shadowbanned or just outright banned? Spamming irrelevant comments can also cost you to get flagged by Instagram. These comments are annoying, and fail to initiate meaningful conversations you need in order to grow your Instagram. If you want real connections with your customers, just ditch the bots.

Be strategic with hashtags.

Hashtags are one of the best tools for driving engagement on Instagram. If any of your posts made it into the Top Posts, it can mean huge exposure for your brand. However, did you know that Instagram has banned some hashtags? If you didn’t, now you know. Banned hashtags could actually prevent your posts from appearing on any of the other hashtags you use. Make sure to check for any banned hashtags, and stop using them.

Leave comments.

Try to avoid using spam comments like ‘nice pic’ and ‘cool’ at all costs. Also, don’t copy and paste comments. Repeating the same comments will surely backfire. Always try to leave comments that advance a conversation and show your willingness to interact. Remember, our goal here is to build an authentic interaction. Take the time to respond to your followers. Instagram users are often impressed when business owners take the time to respond.

Utilize Instagram Stories.

Instagram Stories are extremely helpful when it comes to boosting engagement. Short-lived content like these forces your followers to take action quickly. To gain from this strategy, you need to make full use of Instagram Stories features. Use the features (hashtags, geotags, polls, etc.) in an interesting and engaging way to create your stories, as this further promotes engagement among your followers.

Check your notifications.

Now, many users contact businesses using Instagram Direct Message. They use it to ask questions and make inquiries. Take a few moments to respond to these direct messages. It can foster genuine conversation with your customers. It also shows that you are eager to interact with your followers.